The “Single Nation Treaty” May Not Have An Effect on U.S. Relegalization

Since Colorado and Washington state relegalized Marijuana in November of 2012, there have been some discussions as to the effect of the “Single Nation Treaty” on whether or not the U.S. could relegalize.

Part of the history of Marijuana prohibition includes the treaty, which was ratified in 1962, and its driving force, Harry Anslinger has a long and dark history in regards to Marijuana. It was Anslinger, a former alcohol prohibition chief agent, who orchestrated the Marihuana (sic) Tax Act of 1937 and was responsible for the (at the time) anti-Marijuana movie “Tell Your Children,” more commonly known as “Reefer Madness.” Anslinger wanted Marijuana crippled on the international stage, so he went to the United Nations. The result was a treaty among most of the nations of the world that they would not permit legal use of a variety of substances, including Marijuana.

Some U.S. officials have been claiming that Marijuana can not be relegalized because of this treaty, but that is not necessarily the case. The treaty has no effect on any U.S. (or any other country for that matter) state; it won’t matter, for example, to Colorado because Colorado was not a signatory to the treaty as it is not a nation.

This is a good description of the effect Single Nation won’t have, or doesn’t have to have, on U.S. federal law.